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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · row · rock · hand · bass · rush · kick · present

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. present — there
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. hand — help
  5. present — a gift
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rush — hurry
  11. row — a line
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rock — music
  14. kick — in football
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bass — low music
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. hand — in cards
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. present — the time now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com